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Short Story writers

The BBC National Short Story Award 2023

Information

Closing date: 
13 March 2023
Entry: 
British nationals and UK residents, aged 18 years or over. No entry fee
Prize: 
Winner £15,000 plus 4 shortlisted authors £600

 The BBC National Short Story Award is one of the most prestigious for a single short story, with the winning author receiving £15,000, and four further shortlisted authors £600 each.

Enter a story of no more than 8,000 words.  Read more

The Bridport Prize 2022

Information

Closing date: 
30 September 2022
Entry: 
Eligibility please check on the individual category on their website for entry and fees for Poetry, Short Story, Novel, Memoir and Flash Fiction. Entry fees various, please check on their website
Prize: 
Various - please check on their website

The Bridport Prize has five sections: Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Novel Award and a new Memoir section.

Read the Rules carefully, as they have different prizes, rules, entry fees and closing dates.

The Memoir section closes on 30 September.

More details

 

Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2022

Information

Closing date: 
31 August 2022
Entry: 
Open to all. Entry fee Poetry entries £12 | Short Fiction entries £18
Prize: 
£2,500 awarded to both the Poetry and Short Fiction winners and publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology, which is awarded to 60 writers, shortlisted by the judging panel.

The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is an international literary prize that is a hotbed for new talent in Poetry and Short Fiction. Now in its 16th year, the Prize supports both emerging and established writers. By entering, writers can showcase their work to key industry figures and organisations including The Poetry SocietyLively and well-presented UK site supporting poetry with 4,000 members internationally and some thoughtful content. www.poetrysociety.org.uk, Granta, VINTAGE and more.  Read more

The Moth Short Story Prize 2022

Information

Closing date: 
30 June 2022
Entry: 
Open to all writers over 16. Entry fee €15 per story
Prize: 
1st prize €3,000, 2nd prize week-long writing retreat at Circle of Misse in France plus €250 travel stipend, 3rd prize €1,000

The Moth Short Story Prize is an important date on the literary calendar. Every year, a single judge is asked to choose three winning stories to feature in the autumn issue of The Moth.  Read more

The BBC National Short Story Award 2022

Information

Closing date: 
21 March 2022
Entry: 
British nationals and UK residents, aged 18 years or over. No entry fee
Prize: 
Winner £15,000 plus 4 shortlisted authors £600

The BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University (NSSA) and BBC Young Writers' Award with Cambridge University (YWA) opened for submissions at 9am on Thursday 13th January 2022.The BBC National Short Story Award is one of the most prestigious for a single short story, with the winning author receiving £15,000, and four further shortlisted authors £600 each.  Read more

2021 Manchester Writing Competition

Information

Closing date: 
28 January 2022
Entry: 
Open to writers across the world. Entry fee for both prizes £18
Prize: 
Two £10,000 prizes are awarded: the Manchester Poetry Prize for best portfolio of poems and the Manchester Fiction Prize for best short story

The Manchester Writing Competition offers the UK's biggest literary awards for unpublished work, offered by the country's most successful writing school. The Competition was established in 2008 by Carol Ann Duffy (UK Poet Laureate 2009-19) and has awarded more than £195,000 to writers.  Read more

Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2021

Information

Closing date: 
31 August 2021
Entry: 
Open to all. Entry fee Poetry entries £12 | Short Fiction entries £18
Prize: 
£2,500 awarded to both the Poetry and Short Fiction winners and publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology, which is awarded to 60 writers, shortlisted by the judging panel.

The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is an international literary prize that is a hotbed for new talent in Poetry and Short Fiction. Now in its 15th year, the Prize supports both emerging and established writers. By entering, writers can showcase their work to key industry figures and organisations including The Poetry SocietyLively and well-presented UK site supporting poetry with 4,000 members internationally and some thoughtful content. www.poetrysociety.org.uk, Granta, VINTAGE and more.  Read more

The Moth Short Story Prize 2021

Information

Closing date: 
30 June 2021
Entry: 
Open to all writers over 16. Entry fee €15 per story
Prize: 
1st prize €3,000, 2nd prize week-long writing retreat at Circle of Misse in France plus €250 travel stipend, 3rd prize €1,000

The Moth Short Story Prize is an important date on the literary calendar. Every year, a single judge is asked to choose three winning stories to feature in the autumn issue of The Moth.

This year's judge is award-winning story writer and novelist writer Ali Smith.  Read more

Mslexia Fiction & Memoir Competition 2020

Information

Closing date: 
21 September 2020
Entry: 
Open to women writers only from across the world with unpublished manuscripts (self-published work allowed) Entry fees - various
Prize: 
Various


Short Story

For complete short stories in any genre for adult /young adult women writers.
First Prize 3,000 plus optional week at an Arvon writing centre
Entry fee 310

Flash Fiction

Fr complete short fiction narratives in any genre for adults and/or young adult readers
First Prize £500
Entry fee £5

Children's & YA novel  Read more

2020 Manchester Writing Competition

Information

Closing date: 
18 September 2020
Entry: 
Open to writers across the world. Entry fee £18
Prize: 
Two £10,000 prizes are awarded: the Manchester Poetry Prize for best portfolio of poems and the Manchester Fiction Prize for best short story

The Manchester Writing Competition offers the UK's biggest literary awards for unpublished work, offered by the country's most successful writing school. The Competition was established in 2008 by Carol Ann Duffy (UK Poet Laureate 2009-19) and has awarded more than £195,000 to writers.  Read more

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Primadonna Prize

Information

Closing date: 
13 March 2023
Entry: 
Unpublished authors 18 years old or over resident in the UK. Entry fee £8
Prize: 
Book contract with HQ with advance of £7,500 and agent representation

The Primadonna Prize for unsigned and un-agented authors will, for the first time, offer the winner a book contract with HQ with an advance of £7,500 for world English rights.  Read more

16 January 2023 - What's new

January 2023
  • ‘It's a big part of the job. Being able to put yourself in their shoes is really important. I'm not a writer, but I watch a lot of author content online and I read a lot of stuff from authors. Having that perspective is really important for me to be able to give my authors context. Their emotions are important. If they're disappointed we didn't sell, so am I.
  Read more